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Securing
the Facility and Workplace Violence
Auburn, March 15---Workplace
violence cuts across all segments of society and has become a
critical issue for business and industry today. Violent behavior is
not always predictable or preventable, but random assaults or
assaults by individuals not associated in any way with the workers
or the company are especially hard to foresee.
Even though no foolproof
method exists for completely eliminating the possibility of violent
assaults in the workplace, the amount of exposure companies and
their employees have to such risks can be reduced, says Dr.
Jacquelyn Robinson, a community workforce development specialist
with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
The best violence
prevention comes from identifying problem areas early and taking
appropriate precautions to minimize the potential risk.
Securing the physical
facility is one of the first steps in any good violence- prevention
program, Robinson says. Securing the physical facility is a must for
reducing the accessibility for persons who might have reason to
carry out violent acts and assaults. This is more important in
manufacturing, shipping and warehousing industries but has become
somewhat of a concern in retail and service industries.
Companies that allow
persons to enter and leave the premises without supervision put
their company and their employees at risk. Providing a secure
physical facility requires knowing, controlling and tracking who is
coming in and going out of the facility and what they might be
bringing into the place of work.
Robinson offers some
simple and inexpensive solutions businesses can implement:
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Limit access to the
property by having specific designated entrances that serve as
checkpoints. Contractors, vendors and visitors should use an
entrance completely separate from the one used by employees. All
other doors should remain locked from the outside, even during
business hours. Doors for employees should be key-accessible
only to prevent perpetrators from easily gaining access to the
facility.
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Train employees to
recognize behavior and situations that could be potentially
explosive. Workers should be aware of those standing near them
as they enter the workplace. Employees should never hold the
door or knowingly allow someone they don't recognize as an
employee to enter the facility.
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Empower employees to
alert management and company security to anything they see that
may be out of the ordinary.
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Require nonemployees
to sign in upon arrival, declare their purpose for being there,
wear a temporary name badge while in the physical plant, and
sign out when leaving.
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Provide picture
identification name tags for all employees
More extensive solutions
are usually more expensive to implement, but may be worth
the cost, adds Robinson. Installing adequate lighting and fencing
around the premises helps limit access to persons without a need to
enter. Video cameras, both inside and outside with posted signs
indicating the cameras are in operation, provide increased security,
especially for remote locations. If the facility and grounds are
expansive or the nature of the operation is sensitive, emergency
phones that automatically call security should be installed
throughout the property. Private security guards may also deter
would-be violent offenders from entering the property. Additional
steps may be necessary for situations where employees encounter the
public.
Source: Dr. Jacquelyn
Robinson, Community Workforce Development Specialist, Alabama
Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-5353
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